march 2021 volume 54, edition 3 - tulip city
TRANSCRIPT
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March 2021 Volume 54, Edition 3
On the Calendar:
3/31/21 TCG&MC General Meeting Virtual / ZOOM
4/14/21 TCG&MC Board Meeting In-person @ TBD
4/28/21 TCG&MC General Meeting In-person @ TBD
5/12/21 TCG&MC Board Meeting In-person @ TBD
Robin Williams has been quoted to say “Spring is nature's way of saying,
Let's Party!” Well, why not make an adjustment and say Spring is nature's
way of saying, Let's Rockhound ! I can only imagine how bad your itch is
growing to grab a bucket and head for the hills. Recently, Robin & I got our
itch scratched a little by going over to the Westover’s and learn how to cut
and polish Petoskey Stones. Thanks Rance & Anne :)
Several of our members will be attending to their itch this weekend as the
first club field trip for 2021 will be held. Thanks to the effort of Jon Mull,
our Field Trip Coordinator, we have four days filled with several sites to
search for Ordovician and Devonian fossils. To enhance our collecting
experience, a member of the local paleontological club will serve a tour guide
and expert. Check back next month here to get a report!
I like to welcome our newest member, Lisa Mull and son Redmond. Looking forward to
see you and everyone else at a club meeting and field trips soon. It is the intention of
the Board to begin in person events in April. We feel that with the improvement of the
Spring weather and continued vaccinations, it should be safe to schedule a General
Meeting outside; we welcome suggestions. Stay Tuned ! ! !
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2021 TCG&M Board
President - Michael B. Larson [email protected]
Vice President - Shari Luttikhuizen [email protected]
Secretary - Brenda Olson [email protected]
Treasurer - Kurt Brinks
Field Trip Coordinator - Jon Mull
Historian - Betty Hoekstra [email protected]
Jr. Club Coord. - Linda Winkelmann [email protected]
Liaison - Rhonda Gehringer [email protected]
Membership - Christine Silich [email protected]
Newsletter Ed. - < open >
Social Media Coord. - Julia Sherwood
Show Coord. - Sue Goedert [email protected]
Social Coord. - Linda Plumert [email protected]
Dir. at Large - Mary Johnson [email protected]
Dir. at Large - Randy Wake [email protected]
Past President - C.H. Falstad
TCG&MC General Meeting for March
Wednesday, 3/31/21
Look for the ZOOM link in your e-mail a day or two before the meeting.
Those unable to attend online can join us through a phone number that will be
provided at that time as well.
Field Trips Update
Spring Break: April 2 - 6 (Friday to Tuesday)
- Fossils in Indiana / Ohio / Kentucky
April 17 (Saturday) - Beach Hunting in Port Huron
May 1 (Saturday) – Beach Hunting in Petoskey
Memorial Day Weekend: May 27 - 31 (Thursday to Monday)
– Geodes around Keokuk, Iowa
Details for all of these and future trips will be
provided as trips get near !
Questions or Interested to join the FUN, please contact Field Trip
Fossil plate from St. Leon, Indiana
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Tulip City Gem & Mineral Club
Zoom Meeting
February 10, 2021, 7:00 PM Board Meeting Minutes
7:11 PM – Board Meeting
President Michael Larson called the meeting to order. Stated he desires an in person General Meeting in April. There
will be no April banquet; the possibility of a banquet held in the fall was discussed.
Approval of minutes - Mike Larson made a motion to approve the January 13, 2021 Board Meeting minutes and the
January 27, General Meeting minutes with corrections, seconded by Jon Mull. All in favor.
Vice President Shari Luttikhuizen- Shari discussed options for the virtual February general meeting. In the newsletter
there were some links to promote the field trips or the show theme. The best place to meet may be outside in spring.
Treasurer Kurt Brinks- gave the treasurers report. The club received another membership. Kurt reported we are in fine
condition.
Juniors-Linda Winkelman would like a Saturday zoom gathering at 10am, February 20. Rhonda will help set it up. Linda
has an article for the newsletter to promote the meeting. Mike Larson requested that Linda check with the juniors if they
are utilizing the Mini Miner.
Membership Christine Silich. The board thanked Christine for an updated membership report. For the members
information in the newsletter they can be told we can email or send a membership list upon request, minus the juniors.
Linda will invite 2019 families to the Saturday meeting and will invite them to join as members.
Hospitality Linda Plumert – Discussion followed on an alternative to an April banquet. Discussion followed on the option
of an October banquet. We will have no coffee or water in general meetings when we meet in person again.
Liason - Rhonda Gehringer was wondering if will need to hold raffles to support scholarships. Shari would like to have
silent auctions when we meet in person again. Kurt Brinks said we would have scholarships for Hope College and Grand
Valley State University that he would send in the mail, but we will not do the Gibson scholarship.
Director at Large - Mary Johnson has club materials in her garage for raffles.
Historian Betty Hoekstra – no report
Social Media Julia Sherwood – no report
Field Trip – Jon Mull offered to share a preview of the places where the field trips are going to happen for the February
Virtual General Meeting. Received a message from Mary regarding the spring break trip at the beginning of spring break
works better for Jon. Jon has announced field trip dates for April and May.
Budget 2021 – Kurt made a motion we accept the 2021 budget as presented, Mary seconded. All in favor.
Some discussion followed on whether to do an exchange with another club. The pros were we make good connections
with other clubs, the cons were we have a lot of material already left over from past exchanges. One option that was
discussed was an exchange of field trips, possibly with a Canadian club.
Mike asked the board members to check out the link in the January newsletter to the Rock and Gem opal page.
Show –Sue reported that she would like to send out contracts to see if vendors are interested but not take payment until
July, when we are sure we are able to do a show. Linda W. shared that she is doing publicity this year for the show.
She is working according to a schedule and has a number of contacts with our show information already.
Adjourn meeting: by 8:20 pm.
Respectfully submitted, Brenda Olson
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Tulip City Gem and Mineral Club
Via Zoom
February 24, 2021, 7:00 PM; Minutes General Meeting
7:09 PM – Call to Order – Michael Larson, president
Present: about 18 adults.
Board Reports
President-Mike Larson is hoping we can meet in person by March or April 2021. Mike announced
there will be no April Banquet this year. An alternative fall banquet may be held instead. Social
distancing and wearing masks will be required when we meet in person again. The club will try to
get interaction with field trips. Mike shared that Indian Mounds has canceled their club show in April.
Treasurer-Kurt Brinks gave a brief report. Kurt reported the club is in fine shape and will give
scholarships to GVSU students and Hope College students.
Juniors-Linda Winklemann reported that a Zoom meeting where 30 families were invited only had
one family respond. Discussion followed on options for juniors to meet in person to make shark
tooth necklaces, possible outdoor meetings, hands on meetings, and the possibility of sending
Petoskey stone kits. Jon and Shari had some Petoskey stones available to donate.
Field Trip-Jon Mull has some dates for field trips:
April 2-6 fossils in the Cincinnati area (Indiana and Kentucky)
April 17 Port Huron for beach material
May 1st Magnus Park, Petoskey, MI,
Memorial day weekend 27th to 31st geodes in Keokuk, IA.
Jon followed with a virtual presentation on the areas where the field trips were planned. Club
members wanting to participate in the field trips should email Jon expressing interest soon.
Social Media-Julia Sherwood no report.
Vice President-Shari shared for Sue, Show Chair, that the club is planning a September show.
Shari encouraged the club to get the dates and location figured out for the South Haven tailgate
figured out.
Meeting adjourned 8:35 pm
Planetary geology, alternatively known as astrogeology or
exogeology, is a planetary science discipline concerned with
the geology of the celestial bodies such as the planets and
their moons, asteroids, comets, and meteorites
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Rock Tumbling for Autism https://www.rockngem.com/rock-tumbling-for-autism/
If you enjoyed what you’ve read here you’re invited to
consider signing up for the FREE Rock & Gem weekly
newsletter at https://bit.ly/2xttsZP
By David Leaton October 29, 2020
Rock tumbling is a worldwide sensation. It does not matter the age or geographic area of the participant. I see
young and old together looking for rocks to tumble, one just as enamored and excited as the other. Many people live
in rural areas or states where there are plenty of materials to find in nature. Yet, many more reside in cities and
towns or live in states where there is little or no availability of materials to hunt, so they order online or through
catalogs. There is no deterring those who have been bitten by this “rock tumbling” bug. For some, it even seems to
be the glue that holds them together.
Through the group Rock Tumblers for Autism (https://bit.ly/2WFMB4f), we have identified a new group of rock
tumbling fanatics, and we have embarked upon a mission to create new avenues of support and success for them.
I don’t believe I’ve met a kid who is not fascinated with rocks at some stage of
their life. Growing up, I spent a lot of time on the shores of rivers and lakes with
my dad and my two granddads. We were all avid anglers, or at least I became
one as I aged. However, the rocks always called me away from my post at the
water’s edge.
Like many others, I have always been fascinated with and wondered about how
rocks formed, where they came from, and, most of all, what they might look like
“inside.” Of course, they had other uses beyond causing me to dream and
wonder. I think, to this day, my dad would cringe if he thought I was going to
throw a rock in the water near where he was fishing. Of course, I am not above
doing so just to torment him a little.
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Rockhounding Runs in the Family
However, back to the topic at hand, what is one to do with all of those rocks? My children have rocks that they
picked up when they were toddlers. My oldest is 35, my youngest 14, and we have a plethora of rocks streaming in
and out of our lives. Even my oldest son, who is much more a “techie” than an outdoorsman, loves rocks. His
grandfather, the person who created my passion for rock tumbling, gave my son a Diamond Pacific MT4 Mini Sonic
when he was about ten years old. I still have it in my arsenal and recently ordered a refurb kit for the machine. My
daughters, especially my 28-year-old, Elizabeth, always bring me bags of rocks they have picked up, and ask me to
add them to my tumbler loads. Elizabeth even hunts one of the local Facebook rock shows on the Hollyewood
Ranch page and buys slabs and rough for me to tumble or cut. It is my younger son, though, who changed how I
look at rock tumbling, and created a new direction for not just me but also my family and even my friends. Thomas
is my 14-year-old son, and he has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
One never knows where inspiration will come. Several years ago, my dad called me from
Mississippi and said he and his wife were going to drive out to Oregon for a visit. We had all
lived in Ontario, Oregon in the past, and dad had gotten deep into lapidary work. I wanted
so badly at the time to work with him, but I had just opened a new business that was
struggling to get off the ground, and it took every waking moment to nurse it to full health.
Finally, it did explode into a full-fledged business that led me, again, to involve myself in
what was to become a budding passion. Eventually, I would sell the business. During my
dad’s visit, he brought 20 years’ worth of rock tumbling and lapidary equipment and
dumped it in my garage. Among all of the parts and pieces was a nearly 30-year old
Thumler’s UV-18 vibratory tumbler.
Some people might scream, “Eureka! I’ve hit gold.” However, I had never seen a vibratory tumbler and had no clue
what to do with it. So, while I tinkered with the CabMate lapidary polisher and a couple of other pieces of ancient
equipment from my dad’s arsenal, I started searching Facebook groups for tumbling advice. I’d be remiss if I did
not mention those faithful friends and fellows who do their best to share some basic geological information that
provides insight for tumbling. However, it was on Facebook that I ran across a group called “Rock Tumbling
Hobby Lapidary Discussion.” It became my near-daily devotional and set me on the path that I am traveling now,
overseeing “Rock Tumblers for Autism.”
Inspiration Close to Home and Heart
My son wanted to start tumbling, so I got him a Lortone 33A. At the same time, a friend of mine who lives in
Oregon as well, whom I have known since we were teens, and also happens to have a son with autism, wanted to
start tumbling rocks. Today he is an avid tumbler. To provide a broader picture of my background, I am also a
special education teacher. Through my training, I began to make a connection between rock tumbling and people
who have autism. Growing up, I also had learning disabilities, and it impacted me a great deal. After school, I spent
30 years as a truck driver, as well as a computer technician, that is, until I decided to take the plunge and attend
community college. Four years later, I had a degree in teaching children who have disabilities. Then I went on to
earn my master’s degree in special education with an emphasis on autism. As I was finishing my final year and
preparing to graduate, something on the Rock Tumbling Hobby Lapidary group caught my attention. An 8-year-
old boy who needed a rock tumbler.
It was the boy’s mother who was searching and explained to our Facebook group that she did not have a tumbler,
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but wanted both her and her son to connect with people who did. She explained that her son has autism and that his
favorite thing in life was tumbling rocks. As a point of reference, some of the typical traits of autism are difficulties
regulating sensory input, regulating behavior, and diminished social skills. The mother explained that for her son,
the sound of the tumbler and the rocks’ feel was what helped him stay calm and regulated. BAM! It was like a
lightning bolt between the eyes. When we gave my son his rock tumbler, we realized that the response was, greater
social and emotional regulation.
Taking Action On a Passion
How many of you like to rub your smoothed and polished stones after they come out of the tumbler? Well, imagine
that feeling of soothing calm assurance on a much grander scale. Sadly, the mother who approached the group
explained that they wanted to stay connected because her son’s old tumbler had “given up the ghost,” and died.
That gave me a grand idea.
I went to my wife and told her the story. At the time, I was still in college, as was my wife.
We both worked, but we were at the bottom of the food chain at our jobs, so money was a
bit tight. However, we wanted to help this mother and son. I sent the mother a private
message and asked her if it would be okay to raise funds in order to purchase her son a new
rock tumbler. She was ecstatic, and we were off. I asked the permission of the moderator to
post the request to the members, and she approved. The response was unbelievable. I
posted it to my personal Facebook page as well, and in a week, we were able to purchase a
Lorton 33B dual drum tumbler, which we shipped to Montana as a gift to a young man
with special needs. He was the first, and he was not the last.
Today we continue to raise funds to buy rock tumblers for kids who have autism. We have
shipped units to Montana, Illinois, Utah, and of course, my home state of Oregon. Speaking of Oregon, another of
our fundraisers allowed us to purchase a new three-pound tumbler kit for a young man in the town where I live.
Alex is a middle teen who has autism and is a bit lower functioning. Can you guess what his favorite thing to do is?
You guessed it. He hunts rocks.
We got word through a member of our Facebook group that this young man could benefit from a tumbler. We
connected with his parents, raised funds, and met the family at their house to present the tumbler. Alex was so
excited about the rocks that he took out his collection box and explained each rock he had. We had such a
wonderful time with him that I told my wife I wanted to continue what we were doing.
Valuable Partnerships
There is one additional and important aspect of this effort, and that is Sherman Rowland at High Land Park. After
hearing the story of our mission and purchasing his company’s shaping machine, Sherman and I discussed the
different uses and benefits, and he informed me of his company’s forthcoming plans to offer a brand of rock
tumblers for both the hobbyist and the professional. Highland Park is also known for its high-quality slab saws,
sphere machines, and other lapidary equipment. I am excited at the prospect of receiving our first tumblers from
them.
Sherman also helped our group regarding promotional efforts and provided advice about other elements. As a result,
Rock Tumblers for Autism is now a registered 501(c)(3) charity with nonprofit status under the name CogWheels for
Autism and is registered with Amazon Smile. We will be purchasing rotary and vibratory tumblers from Highland
Park when they are made available to the public.
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Junior Families of 2021 – Ideas!
TCGMC members are eager to keep kids involved in our hobby as the pandemic recedes!
Sign up for One Day Field Trips to Michigan beach sites. Bring picnic supplies, rock buckets, tools
and water-proof boots. Fresh air and the extra company of “senior rockhounders” will be both
delightful and educational. Jon Mull, Angie & Jack will lead these adventures!
Pencil in Saturday, April 17th for an exciting collecting experience on Lake Huron’s large-gravel
beaches – starting at Fort Gratiot in Port Huron, MI (just north of the International Bridge). Lots of
colorful varieties to be found including unakite (green & orange granite), puddingstone, tillite,
petoskey, favosite, corals, limestone, jasper, and milk quartz.
On Saturday, May 1st join the club as it will GO NORTH to some of Lake Michigan’s favorite
collecting sites. You will need a collecting bag or bucket to put your exciting finds. Petoskey,
favosites (aka Charlevoix stones), horn corals, chert, basalts, gneiss, assorted granites, and
sandstone. P.S. You don’t need to know their names to find these beauties!
Join us on Friday, April 28 from 5:30-7:30 pm at the Lakeshore Museum Center
(www.lakeshoremuseum.org) in Muskegon. It is hosting “Rocks of Michigan” from the GVSU
Geology Dept. This FREE event is outdoors and includes rock & mineral experiments to uncover
the importance of these resources. Mask & social distancing expected.
While my goal is to present rock tumblers to 100 kids in a year, under the registered charity, we are also
expanding into helping purchase specific supports for children with autism that their families cannot afford. The
progress is slow, but our fundraising is picking up speed. That progress is due in part to Brad and Hannah at
HolleyWood Ranch, Sherman at Highland Park Lapidary, and the support of the rock tumbling and lapidary
communities. Also, a local construction company has offered to build our local group a new shop to work out of
so that we may expand our efforts.
Autism is the fastest-growing disability among children, and we have a driving passion for giving the children and
their families the extra support they need, in many different ways.
Who would have thought a child with a rock would become such an inspiration? There is no experience equal to
seeing the excitement on children’s faces when they talk about collecting rocks. Many of my students have brought
rocks to me from their beach and river excursions. There is also a depth of joy and relaxation in preparing and
tumbling rocks that I have never experienced in any other hobby. I hope to inspire the world to delve into a kind of
art that requires no physical talent, but only imagination, a little bit of patience, and the rock tumbler of their
choice.
To see what recipients of the gift of rock tumblers are up to, visit the Rock Tumblers for Autism group on
Facebook: https://bit.ly/2WFMB4f.
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1) What do you call a rock that never goes to school?
2) Why did the tectonic plates break up?
3) What do you do with dead geologists?
1) A skipping stone!
2) It wasn’t her fault, but there was just
too much friction between them.
3) You barium.
West Michigan MWF Mineral Study Group
Our current study structure is to look at minerals by elemental composition, working our way thru
the periodic table. When we have an abundant element we often have to divide up our study by
letters of the alphabet so we have a reasonable number of specimens. This month we had the
opposite problem and needed two elements to have a reasonable number of specimens.
Our Mineral Study Group likes to learn about the science and practical uses of the minerals we
study, but we also want to learn to hand identify them. Hand identification is a skill you learn from
holding and studying many different specimens of a given mineral. We also try to do our homework
on the science and come prepared to discuss the mineral(s) of the month, but we also dig through
our collections and try to come with one or more specimens for everyone to handle.
The next monthly meeting of the West Michigan MWF Mineral Study Group will be held on
April 13, 2021, from 7 pm to 8:30 pm, at the home of Kreigh Tomaszewski, 653 Burton St. S.E.,
Grand Rapids, MI 49507. Face masks will be required (unless everyone attending has been fully
vaccinated against covid-19).
We will be studying minerals that contain Manganese and have names beginning with the letters A
thru K. We try to limit our study range so we have 25-30 specimens to fit them into our time frame
(we will probably have at least 35). We often have some time at the end of the meeting to look at
some unknown you might need help on - remember to bring that questionable specimen.
We try to start (and end) on time; please do not arrive more than 20 minutes early (and everyone
gets thrown out by 9). All West Michigan rockhounds are invited to attend (but our governor wants
us to keep it down to ten). I hope you can join us as we learn about minerals from each other, but
you are always welcome even if you can't bring any specimens. Please join us and let part of
your collection get to meet some other rockhounds and be appreciated.
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Our club is a non-profit organization sponsored by the Holland Recreation Department. it is a member of the Midwest Federation and the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies. The general purpose of this club is to develop interest in and increased knowledge of minerals, rocks, gems, fossils, and the lapidary arts. The objectives of this club shall be promoted whenever possible, through family participation.
Meetings are held monthly on the last Wednesday of the month at the Howard Miller Community Center, 14 S. Church Street, Zeeland, MI at 7pm, unless
announced otherwise in the TULIP CITY
CONGLOMERATE.
Junior Club welcomes young rockhounds and meets separately during the meeting.
To become a member, complete the form at www.tulipcity.org
Advertising rates for club members are: $5 for business card size, $10 for ¼ page,
$15 for ½ page, $30 for full page. non-member rates are double. Make check payable To: TCG&M with ad copy to Editor.
Tulip City Conglomerate
c/o Tulip City Gem & Mineral Club
P.O. Box 2082
Holland, MI 49424